Lundazi sat down besides her mother. Shock and fear was written on her face.
"I can close the wounds."
"N….no! that won't work. Her…. her insides..... they have been burnt."
"Then…..then tell me what to do Kuyo," she begged as tears ran down her face. "Isn't there some potion you can make to help her?"
Kuyopa maintained the Link between him and his mother. He could feel her slowly slipping away. He thought of all the potions he knew but most of them were useless in this moment, and the ones that could help would take time to create and time was something his mother didn't have.
The fire mage saw an opportunity and attacked the royal family but he was blocked by Nelu and Tate. He may not be as strong as he was when he fought the royal family in the throne room but he knew that against earth and wind alone, he just might have a chance. He followed up with an attack that sent his flaming tentacles towards Nelu, Tate and the queen's children from different directions.
Kuyopa suddenly felt someone embracing him. An air bubble enclosed him, the queen and his sister, and then the earth swallowed the air bubble. The earth then fell around the bubble and Tate cancelled the air spell. They could see Nelu lying on the ground with holes in his body. He then sensed his siter's rage. Lundazi stood up as red runes and symbols floated around her; disappearing and reappearing each second. She flew towards the fire mage. He tried to attack her but she was quicker. She easily dodged all of his attacks as she closed the distance between them.
Zap!
Another red light. It pierced Lundazi and she came crushing to the ground. Kuyopa was completely shocked. He turned around in an attempt to find the source of the attack and saw his father lying on the ground near Zarabo. Seeing his family being killed, one after the other, made him feel hopeless.
"Enough Uncle! You win. P…please… please stop. There is still time for me to help them."
Zarabo let out an evil laugh. "I am only doing what is necessary my boy. The new king can't leave his enemies alive."
Kuyopa couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was this the same man that taught him how to use his link magic? What had happened? Was this really his uncle? Of course, it was. Who among the people still standing had his blood! As he kept asking himself a number of questions, his uncle began to laugh even more. Kuyopa cut off the link between them, he didn't need to hear that laugh in his ears and his head.
The fire mage took advantage of the moment and sent all his fire tentacles towards Kuyopa. His wife, Tate, put up an air shield to block them. Zarabo also began to attack them and now she was blocking two strong attacks that kept coming again and again. Tears started to slowly fall from her eyes.
"My love…..."
She couldn't finish the sentence.
Kuyopa linked all their minds together (apart from his uncle). The others were not dead yet, even his mother was still linked to him. In that private family meeting, Kuyopa could only hear the heavy breathing of his sister, mother and father. He could also sense everyone's emotions. Pain, fear, grief, fatigue, but nothing was as strong as their hatred for Zarabo.
"At least we won't die alone."
"Not all of us need to die here today," said Tate.
"It's hopeless. There is no way out of this."
"Not unless you use a portal."
"Are you saying that my mother should send me away? She can't do that after all the blood she has lost and I won't leave any of you behind."
The queen opened her eyes and looked at her son. With a weak smile and tears in her eyes she said, "Don't underestimate me."
He felt like someone had pushed him and he had fallen to the ground. Looking up, he saw a portal that was getting smaller by the second. Voices started to echo in his head. First his wife, then his sister, followed by his mother and last was his father.
"Live for us my love."
"Love you Kuyo."
"Live on my son."
"Take care, my son."
Kuyopa stretched out his hand as he yelled, "No..no!" But the portal closed before he could do anything about it.
"This can't be real."
The links were gone.
"Why?"
He was alone. He hit the ground with his fists as he cried out. The faces of his sister, wife, mother and father kept flashing in his mind. They way they would smile at him. The pet names they had for him and the way they would say them. The times they argued or fought. The hugs and kisses he received from them. All the moments they shared. Remembering them brought him more pain and heartache. His hands clawed at his heart but the only thing he could hold was his night robe.
...
"Zarabo…..Zarabo….Zarabo."
"Honey. Wake up. You are having a bad dream. Everything is alright. You are safe now."